Preserving Honor
by limadude120
Summary: "Corvo, you fascinate me. You had the opportunity to exact vengeance on those who wronged you, but instead, you chose justice. I wonder... If you had the chance to save the Empire, save Emily, and most importantly, save the Empress, what would you do? Well now is your chance, though you'll have to do it without my help this time around... This should make for good entertainment."


Chapter 1: Just a Dream?

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><p>"Corvo. You interest me… You watched and listened when other men would have shouted and raged. You held back instead of striking. You pursued justice instead of vengeance… Fascinating.<p>

"They say that the true measure of a man is revealed not when he is at his weakest, but at his strongest. You stayed your blade even under the most trying of circumstances. I'm impressed. I wonder, if you had the chance to prevent that, to prevent the Empire from falling into chaos, to prevent young Emily from living that nightmare, to prevent the death of your Empress, what would you do?

"Well, I'm giving you that chance, but this time, you'll have to do it without my help. Though I will give you one gift to make things interesting… This should make for good entertainment."

IIIIIII

Corvo woke in a cold sweat, darkness shrouding his surroundings. Instinctively, he pulled his left hand in front of his face, staring hard at the back of his hand, his eyes adjusting quickly to the comfort of the dark. His skin was smooth. There were no deformities or marks. There was nothing.

Corvo was confused. What had he expected to find? A corner of his mind told him that it was important, but it was clouded behind a thick veil that he couldn't pierce. Corvo slowly, but deliberately slid out from under his covers and pressed his feet against the cold marble floor. A small shiver ran up his spine as he surveyed his surroundings. It was his room in Dunwall Tower.

Everything was in place, as he remembered it when he lay his head down to sleep, but it all seemed so surreal. As if it were a dream that he'd had long ago. Corvo stretched his muscles, taking several deep breaths to calm the adrenaline flowing through his veins. It felt like he had just been in battle.

As he calmed himself, Corvo wondered at the energy brimming through his body. Corvo was getting old, he knew, but he had aged gracefully, a benefit of his healthy lifestyle and genes. However, he hadn't felt quite so energetic and limber in many years. He felt like he was thirty again, ready to take on whatever challenges the world would throw at him. Reveling in his newfound energy, Corvo looked to his right, to Emily's room.

Ghosting to the door, he cracked it open ever so slightly, just before the point the hinges would start creaking. A precautionary measure he had implemented when he first became the Royal Protector many years ago. He pressed his face against the door, peeking in. He could see Emily's face, still and peaceful in sleep, the rest of her body swathed safely away in her blankets. Corvo couldn't help but smile as he closed the door.

He looked towards the other end of his room, at the door to the Empress' bedchambers and a pang of pain and despair so deep stabbed through Corvo's heart for the briefest of moments before it was gone. Corvo nearly stumbled, the sensation had been so intense. He wondered where it had come from, and why he had felt it, but it quickened his steps.

Moving quickly, he pushed the door open ever so slightly, the hinges creaking a bit, and slipped into the large bedchambers. He hesitated before turning the lock as he closed the door behind him. He took a quick glance around the room, noticing the weak light of the dying coals in the hearth. Illuminated were several paintings hanging on the walls. One of the Emperor, the father of the current Empress. Another of the Empress' daughter. And a painting of Dunwall, bathed in a brilliant sunset.

Corvo went to the main door to the Empress' room, checking the knob. Locked. As it should be. He peeked through the keyhole, satisfied to find that there was a guard on duty. Making his way to the other end of the room, Corvo walked onto the little balcony that the Empress' room connected to, and looked down at the main floor. There were a few guards patrolling, and all was quiet.

Satisfied, the Royal Protector finally let his nerves settle. As he passed by the Empress' desk, he saw a stack of papers and scrolls, waiting for the Empress' attention. To his surprise, he found a small painting of himself, neatly framed and positioned. He hadn't remembered seeing this painting before. It must have been new.

Squinting in the half light, Corvo could see the familiar brush strokes and stylings that indicated that the Royal Physician, Anton Sokolov, had painted this. It was a painting of him smiling, as he watched something or someone in the distance. His hair was still short. It was a good painting. It must have taken Sokolov a while to paint it so accurately, since Corvo never remembered modeling for the talented painter.

Corvo then turned his attention to the woman he had guarded for the better part of his life. The Empress. He moved closer until he was at her bedside. He looked down at the calm and peaceful expression on the sleeping Empress' face, and an unexplainable feeling of relief and joy overwhelmed him all at once, causing him to nearly fall to his knees.

As his emotions brimmed beneath his skin, held back by the strength of his will, Corvo tentatively reached out to touch the Empress' face, his hand gently caressing her smooth cheek. By the Outsider, the Empress was a beautiful woman, Corvo thought to himself. How had he ever been so lucky? He remembered when the Empress was just a twelve year old girl, and he was nineteen, young and reckless. He had never thought then that the awkward, gangly twelve year old would ever become such a strong, beautiful woman.

The Empress then began to stir, and Corvo suddenly held his breath, a dreadful anticipation building in his stomach. For what, he didn't know. Slowly, the Empress' eyes opened. As she woke from sleep, she felt the gentle touch of a hand against her cheek, and immediately, she knew who was by her bedside. She smiled as she nuzzled against the hand.

"Corvo?" She asked sleepily, sitting up slowly. "What are you doing up? It must still be the middle of the night." When Corvo didn't respond, a hint of worry seeped into her voice. "Corvo?" She asked again, placing her hand over Corvo's, still on her cheek, a questioning look in her eye.

In that instant, when the Empress and her Royal Protector made eye contact in the dim light, Corvo's emotions burst like , he wrapped his arm around the Empress' waist and drew her upright, pressing his lips to hers in a searing kiss. The Empress, taken off guard by Corvo's sudden passion, moaned into the kiss before reciprocating with equal strength.

When the two finally broke apart, gasping for breath, she smiled at Corvo playfully. "My, my… It's only been a few hours, but it seems like you've missed me, Royal Protector."

Corvo, seeing the playful glint in the Empress' eyes, returned the smile before closing the gap. "You have no idea, Jessamine," He said breathily his lips getting closer and closer, his eyes never breaking contact.

This time, it was Jessamine who initiated the kiss, wrapping an arm around Corvo's waist, and another behind his head, pulling Corvo towards her. Still kissing passionately, Jessamine pulled Corvo on top of her, reveling in his weight and musky scent. When the two broke apart, Corvo rolled to Jessamine's side and wrapped her in a tight embrace. As he looked deep into her eyes, he whispered, "Hold me. Tonight. Please."

Jessamine, sensing a shift in the mood, stared back into Corvo's eyes, and in them, she found a well of fear and worry, but she also found a deep love. No words needed to be said as she smiled and drew her Royal Protector closer to her. It seemed as if she would be the one protecting Corvo from whatever demons haunted him tonight. She had faith that everything would be revealed soon enough.

As the two drifted off into the realm of sleep, Corvo gripped Jessamine ever tighter, never feeling like he never wanted to let her go. He didn't want to lose her. Before sleep overtook him, Corvo whispered, "I love you, Jessamine." A soft smile spread over Jessamine's face, before she cracked her eyes open once again, looking up into Corvo's earnest face. "I love you too, Corvo."

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><p><strong>AN:** Hi guys! Welcome to my new fan fiction for Dishonored! I've been thinking about this for a long time ever since my first play through almost a year ago. Now that I've recently played through the game again, and the DLC, I couldn't help but start imagining what it would have been like if the events of the game were a dream that the Outsider gave to Corvo, to forewarn him of the coming disaster. But, what if Corvo woke up, and forgot most of the dream, remembering only vague feelings and ideas. What would happen? I also wanted to write a happy ending for Corvo and Jessamine, because after all the bad things that happened in Dishonored, I figure that they deserve a happy ending somehow, somewhere. Even if it is only a fanfiction.

As a side note, this starts at the end of the game of Dishonored with the Outsider's narration, but then immediately jumps back to about a month before the Empress sends Corvo to the isles, asking for help. The plague is just starting to become a serious problem, and Corvo has not been given any powers by the Outsider. He is not marked, but the Outsider did give him the gift of limited Vitality, shall we say. Corvo is physically younger, age 30, still in his prime, instead of 39. He doesn't have superhuman reflexes or speed or strength, but being a bit younger will make a difference. I'm mainly writing this for me, but I hope you guys do find some enjoyment out of it.


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